Quote:
Originally Posted by JonWint
I believe the side "braces" are thought to stop crack propagation more than strengthen the sides. The old Martins just used fabric strips instead of wood strips for that purpose.
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Full height side braces actually do provide useful strength, allowing the use of extra thin sides. But it is more work gluing a bunch of short lining strips between them, and it's important to glue them in extra low humidity because otherwise when the sides shrink in low humidity later, the side braces will poke against the top/back.
IMO, side braces glued between the linings are more of a liability than a benefit. Still a lot of work, and they leave a vulnerable grain line right at the edge of the linings, and concentrate stress onto that line so it's probably more likely to split than a bare side. They do stop splits spreading if they get started somewhere other than the lining edge, though. And in practice I don't know if they actually increase the likelihood of an impact causing a split. Maybe some of the repair guys would have enough data to say.
Cloth strips (especially if full height, with linings glued over them) stop splits, and don't concentrate stress. Also easy. And since there are sonic benefits to making the sides as thick and heavy as possible, the stiffening effect of full height side braces is generally not necessary.
But since you have the linings glued already, I'd probably just leave this one bare.